from today onward until the attainment of enlightenment may i be willing to live with my chaos and confusion and that of all other sentient beings. may i be willing to share our mutual confusion and work incessantly and humbly to help and elevate everyone without exception.
there is so much chaos in the world in which we live. sometimes, though, i question whether there is more chaos now than in any other time in human history. or does it seem like more because we know about what is happening at every moment, all over the planet?
surely, chaos existed when we were hunter-gatherers. drought, floods, fires, and earthquakes would have been the chaos we experienced then. death and destruction were the same then as they is now. anxiety about it would have dogged our ancestors just as it does us now.and somehow, life feels different today than it did just 10 years ago. the level of aggression and fear seems to have risen beyond that of days passed. is it the overload of information? too much busy-ness? too many responsibilities? too little certainty?
this prayer seems to hold out the essence of calm action, a possible antidote for the venom we live with. if i take it to heart, i become willing to live with my own chaos and confusion along that which affects all others. and i become willing to work for the enlightenment of all others. all i really need to do is become willing.these are deep aspirations, possibly out of reach for most of us. and yet, simply holding the intention, holding the space for good, is an action that soothes my heart and allows me to connect, not only with other beings, but with the Divine.recognising the confusion and chaos most of us face right now, and have lived in for decades, is one of the steps on the path of eldering. to first own fully the events (both calm and chaotic) of our lives and then harvest the wisdom gained from those experiences can allow us to clear a lot of unnecessary baggage that we may have been holding for decades.
then we can take compassionate action, take on the Work of healing, the Work of mentoring, the Work of sharing our wisdom with others, the Work of changing the paradigm and vision of ageing. this is Work with a capital W. this Work can only be done after garnering many years of life experience. it is honourable and sacred Work.it is the Work of enlightenment. it is the Work of Love.